Kidnapping Sorrow
by MiathiBlue
Summary: Backstory for my f/Cousland. Her first friend, her first ally, gone. Please review!


"Come down. Your mama's looking for you."

Valkyrie scowled down and shook her head. Roland had mud smeared on his face, but he still managed to look like a proper squire. He stamped his foot "You'll get me into trouble!"

"I don't care!" Valkyrie shouted down. "They'll fuss over me and won't leave me alone!"

"Val-"

"Don't call me that!" Valkyrie squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the tears. "Only Eb calls me that, and she died!"

"Please come down?" his voice was pleading.

"I don't want to see mama or papa," she said stubbornly.

"I know. I got the secret keys." Valkyrie looked towards Highever. He held up a set of old iron keys.

"Promise they won't see me?"

"You know you could get in there by yourself if you wanted. They won't find you."

"Pinky promise?"

"Come down and I will."

Valkyrie slithered down the tree easily. Rory offered her his pinky and she wrapped her own around it.

"I promise they won't see you," he told her seriously. She wrapped her cloak around her, pulling the hood over her face. Eb's blood still splattered the dark material, but Valkyrie was glad for the familiar smell. Roland took her hand and led her around the battlefield. The stench of rotting bodies clogged up the air. Val held the cloak over her face while Roland fumbled with the key. He pushed at a brick, revealing a keyhole. He unlocked the secret door and clambered through. Val took his offered hand and slid into the dark tunnel. The door rumbled shut as Roland led her through the tunnel. Voices floated down the tunnel and they slowed their footsteps.

"Squire? Is that you?"

They rounded a corner and saw the face of an elven maid looking down.

"There you are. Quickly- Oh! Good afternoon, my lady. Her ladyship is outside the kitchen with mistress."

"Thank you." Roland smiled at her and led Val into the pantry. The wall slid smoothly, covering the secret entrance. The servant led them into the kitchen and pointed at an open window.

"Through there." she whispered.

"Not a word." Roland told her.

"Of course."

He nodded and pressed a silver coin into her palm. The servant bowed and hurried to the stove.

"Go. I have to get back to the barracks."

"But-"

"Don't worry."

Val clambered onto the window sill and grasped a thick vine just outside. "Thank you."

He gave her a funny little smile, then Val was climbing up the wall, the rose's thorns digging into her palms. The tears finally ran down her cheeks, and a sob choked from her throat. _Eb._

"_Climb! Quickly!"_

_I grabbed the branch and pulled myself up. Eb tried to come after me, but the pain was clear in her eyes. I reached out, but her cloak ties came undone and she fell, a small splatter of blood rising to soak the blackness._

"_Eb!" I flung the cloak over my branch and drew my dagger._

"_No!" Then the bandits were there, laughing and pulling at her, touching her where no woman should be touched-_

_The fury rose in me and I raised my arm. The dagger flew from my fingers, but the bastard moved and it buried itself in the ground. The laughter died, and now they were killers. I froze, staring at their murderous eyes, then an arrow buried itself in one's eye. Their attention shifted with a snap, to Roland, who calmly nocked another arrow. The other squires stood with them, and I saw a glint of helms. I turned to the ground, but they were dragging my friend away, and she was fighting, scratching and clawing-_

Val forced the memories away, and focused on the activity in Highever. She could faintly hear the calls of the men who must be counting the dead. No. She frowned, and focused.

"My lady?"

"Valkyrie?"

She scrambled across the roof tops, until she could see the battlefield. Men with lanterns searched-for her.

"Papa?" the word was called before she could stop it. Heads turned and she squinted against the lanterns glare.

"Pup?"

Valkyrie scrambled down the roof, fingers nimbly catching herself on the stone wall. She ran towards the castle gate, meeting her father there. She leapt into his arms, and sobbed onto his shoulder. He clutched her tightly, and whispered words of comfort. Men filed in around them, but Val hardly noticed, so wrapped up in her grief. Finally, her tears ran out and she raised her head.

"Where have you been?" her father's voice was gentle, but she detected a note of reprimand.

"On the roof." she sniffed, wiping her eyes. "Mama would fuss over me, and I hate that."

"Pup, you need to let us know where you are." He scolded softly. "We were all so worried about you."

"I like it that way, papa. I didn't want to see anyone. Not after Eb got taken papa. I could have saved her." she sniffed, wiping her nose on Eb's cloak.

"There was nothing you could have done, pup."

"I missed him, papa. I tried to throw the dagger, but I missed. I might have saved her. I need to practise more."

"Pup, we've talked to you about-"

"No." Valkyrie frowned at him and straightened her shoulders. "I have to learn. I have to know. Fergus knows. He trains with Roland and the other squires. And you gave me the dagger. There's no point in having it if I don't know how to use it."

Bryce Cousland smiled at his daughter, proud of her adult words. "I'll talk to your mother if that's what you want. But. You have to promise me something. Promise you won't go wondering off on your own anymore. What about your dog? You could have taken him along with you. He could have protected you both."

Valkyrie hung her head. "Yes, papa." She whispered. He was right.

He touched Eb's cloak. "You'd better get this washed."

Valkyrie clutched it tighter. "Papa-"

"I'm sure you can keep it. But I think your mother would have something to say to me if I let it stay dirty."

"I can keep it?"

"If that's what you want. I know Eb was special to you, pup."

"I'll never forget her."

"I know, pup. But you have to be strong. Ebony would want you to be strong.

Val took a deep breath and let it out. "I will. I promise. I'll try to be better now."

"I know you will." He took his daughters hand and led her towards her room. "Pup, don't forget we're going to Denerim in a few weeks."

Val frowned... "Still?"

"Yes. Some of the bandits surrendered, and I'm planning to track down this bandit coven. My leads all point to Denerim. If the Maker smiles on us, the bandits will face justice for what they did today."

Val nodded. "I understand."

"Also, I believe Alistair has been recruited to the Chantry. Eamon wrote to me. It would be good to see him again, yes?"

"The Chantry? Why is Alistair at the Chantry?" Val remembered she hadn't received a letter from her friend in a few weeks. _Does that mean he can't come to Highever?_

"Whatever the reason, I'm sure it's a good one pup. Here. I want you in bed now. Your mother will want to talk to you tomorrow."

"Yes, papa." Val kissed her father's cheek. "Straight into bed."

"Father!" Fergus raced into the family quarters, mud splattered on his armour and his face white. "Is it true? Ebony? What happened?"

"Fergus…"

"No…" Fergus sank to the floor. "She can't be dead."

Val dropped to her knees next to him. She placed her arms around him and her head on his shoulder. She felt her tears begin again, as Fergus's shoulders began to shake.

"She's gone." Fergus whispered brokenly.

"Yeah." Val murmured. _She's gone._


End file.
